Paradise on Earth-Hangzhou

Located on the lower reaches of the Qiantang River in East China and only half an hour's drive from Shanghai, Hangzhou is a must see on the itinerary of a tour in China.

More or less, people visit the city for the shining pearl on this beautiful land, the West Lake.

Legend has it that the lake used to be an auspicious pearl formed into its sparkling shape by the Jade Dragon and the Golden Phoenix. But it was later stolen by the Mother Queen of the West. When Jade Dragon and Golden Phoenix fought with the Mother Queen, the pearl accidentally fell on earth and became a dazzling lake.

In ancient times the West Lake was a lagoon, a quiet arm of the sea. Later, the Qiantang River was silted up and so was the mouth of the lagoon, which appeared and disappeared with the flow and ebb of the sea. It was not until the Sui Dynasty about 1,500 years ago that the lake took shape.

Ever since then, the West Lake area has been the idyllic retreat place for literati. In one of the best known poems by Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo, he wrote: "Rippling waters shimmer on a sunny day, Misty mountains shrouded in rain; Plain or gaily dressed like Xizi, the West Lake is always alluring."

Standing by the lake, it's easy to understand Su's allusion to Xizi, one of the four most famous beauties in ancient China. Depending on the location, the season and even the time of the day, the West Lake puts on different charms. And if one is lucky enough, one can enjoy the ten most well known sceneries of the Lake, which have been famous since ancient times. They include Spring Dawn at Su Causeway, Breeze at Crooked Courtyard, Autumn Moon on Calm Lake and Melting Snow on the Broken Bridge.